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With 2023 ending, it is the right time to drop the latest right hook rankings. There certainly was big going up and coming down the rankings this time around, so like always let’s start at the bottom with the group properly titled “Simply Can’t Watch”.
Simply Can’t Watch (30-27)
This tier is made up of the bottom of the NBA that have some promising talent but are absolutely horrible and cannot watch play night to night even if you’re a hardcore fan of these teams that are struggling.
30. Detroit Pistons: The worst team right now despite the incredible amount of young promising talent the Pistons are just awful. Perhaps it’s a combination of the front office and their decisions, ownership/governorship, coach Monty Williams, and no potential chemistry with the talent on the roster is why we are seeing the Pistons in this current state who need to make changes in order to see what the future holds for this potentially promising team.
29. Washington Wizards
28. San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs are in this category because some of the questionable choices they are making in surrounding the French phenom Wembanyama like continuing to try Jeremy Sochan at point guard being the biggest example. Yes, this is a clear rebuild and hopefully will do more to involve/showcase Wembanyama more while seeing what fits well around him going forward.
27. Charlotte Hornets
Trade Machine All-Stars (26-23)
This tier of teams needs to be wheeling and dealing, making trades to improve their rosters and completely start over fresh.
26. Portland Trailblazers: The Blazers certainly have pieces that contending teams would love to have like Malcom Brogdon, Jerami Grant, and Anfernee Simons that can bring some promising returns like young prospects and draft picks would be incredibly helpful for Portland to build with the core of Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and DeAndre Ayton.
25. Utah Jazz: The Jazz have a lot of things to do with this roster like maybe moving Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk, John Collins, and Jordan Clarkson with some of picks from the Rudy Gobert trade certainly would be good start in the jazz rebuilding process.
24. Brooklyn Nets: Like the Jazz, the Nets have a variety of things they can do to rebuild this team potentially around Mikal Bridges and Nic Claxton if they want to. Potentially getting into the Donovan Mitchell discussion would be great for the Nets and give them the young superstar as well as a direction/identity this team sorely needs.
23. Toronto Raptors: The Raptors finish the group out and as of this weekend took the trade machine making a deal with the Knicks sending OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn to New York in exchange for RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and drafts picks finally started the much needed rebuild in Toronto.
With this trade hopefully it continues where they finally trade all-star Pascal Siakam to a potential contender and just get whatever assets and/or prospects back in return will be valuable for a good rebuild to happen with my Raptors and make something of this underwhelming season.
WTH? (22-20)
This tier is for the teams that their seasons have completely gone off the rails in some way or form.
22. Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs are certainly a team in need of something positive to happen this season before it is wasted. With growing noise about Donovan Mitchell not staying, the question of if Evan Mobley can make the next step alongside Jarrett Allen, and that a coaching change could fix this has Cleveland doubting if the future is bright after all. JB Bickerstaff is a solid coach but may not be the coach for this team and its core, who they want to build around is crucial to this as well where if Mitchell has his eyes sight on going home to New York or elsewhere maybe it’s time to make a move and build around the Darius Garland/Evan Mobley duo.
21. Indiana Pacers: Since their loss in the in-season tournament final to the Lakers, the Pacers have been on a skid where the offense still produces but the defense which was not good before is somehow worse. Hopefully, Indiana will be active in the trade market moving pieces around to hopefully land a defender they need badly and truly put together a team around Tyrese Haliburton while making a run for the play-in this season.
20. Atlanta Hawks: Now to my other favorite team the hawks, who like the raptors are in the place needing to do something with this team. Coming in with pretty lofty expectations the hawks under Quin Synder for a full year hasn’t gone too well, Dejounte Murray isn’t the same player he was last season which may be enough to shop him to get a promising return back. I want to wait and see how the rest of the season goes but I think myself and others have to prepare for “It may be time to trade Trae Young” conversation that is very much looming if this team doesn’t win. If this season calls for that level of a tear down, then the goal should be to at least Griffin and Okongwu then build off of that especially with Synder having a strong say on the roster.
Something’s Happening (19-16)
This tier has teams that have something going on, now whether it is good or bad is still unclear, but they all have something that can save their season or completely destroy it.
19. Golden State Warriors: The Warriors are certainly at a crossroads right now with whether or not to stick with Draymond Green, is time to consider moving Klay Thompson finally, what trade can save this season while making the most of few prime years Stephen Curry has left. A lot of uncomfortable decisions are going to have to be made in the bay area and may make for interesting times the next couple of months for Warrior nation.
18. Chicago Bulls: No sense repeating myself when it comes to the Bulls, other than the breakout year Coby White is having in the absence of Zach LaVine only magnifies that this Bulls teams needs to be torn down and start over. The LaVine trade market is surprisingly smaller than we thought but at this point take what you can get for him, Caruso, Vucevic, and DeRozan then roll with the young prospects, pieces and picks that come back to give Chicago fans something hopeful to root for.
17. Houston Rockets
16. Memphis Grizzlies: After serving a 25-game suspension for being a knucklehead, Ja Morant is back, and the Grizzlies have been slightly better. Morant looks impressive but whether he has learned his lesson or not is still in the air but this Grizzlies team needs to go on a big win streak in order to be in the playoff picture, but the lack of size, rebounding, and depth upfront may be the downfall for Memphis this season unless a miracle falls in their lap as far as acquiring a quality big man to help Jaren Jackson Jr down low.
The Mat Ishbia Riddle (15)
12. Phoenix Suns: Our number 15 spot is dedicated to the Suns who are in win now mode, but like I’ve said in previous rankings this team’s lack of depth, bad injury history, and extremely top-heavy roster will come back to bite them and their title aspirations this season which has been true. Bradley Beal barely playing a half a basketball this season certainly limits whatever potential the trio of Beal, Durant, and Booker could have, Durant carrying a huge burden on both ends of the floor should be concerning but then his public frustrations this week made it something serious for Phoenix to look at.
But with no assets and players to move and get that help leaves Durant and the suns with no choice but to make the best of the situation and continue to be in win now mode even if this team is clearly not a title contender giving us another example of “New Owner Syndrome” going bad yet again.
Just 1 move away. (14-12)
This tier is teams that are in the playoff mix but can be a move away from being legit threats or contenders looking forward.
14. Sacramento Kings: The Kings have taken a slight step back this season but are still in the mix out west, yet this team maybe a trade or buyout move away from being a top four lock in the west. Now what is the move? We don’t know maybe a strong backup for De’Aaron Fox, perhaps a move for raptors Pascal Siakam could do the trick but right now the Kings are fine but wouldn’t hurt to go for it all now with some move to better this roster.
13. New Orleans Pelicans: Again, a lot of repetitive stuff with some of these teams and Pelicans are no different. The Pelicans have the parts to present a strong trade package to get whatever player they want to solidify this team. Maybe it’s Donovan Mitchell, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, or someone else New Orleans has to do something before the deadline if they want to make a deep playoff run.
12. New York Knicks: They may not be done with trades, but the Knicks finally pulled the triggered on a trade sending RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto for OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa certainly was a shake up this team needed but are they done? Is this them building the right proposal to the Cavs to bring Donovan Mitchell home finally? Time will tell us, but I feel the Knicks are not done by longshot with this one trade realizing they have a slight chance to be in the top 4 in the east this season if they go for it now.
Wild Cards (11-8)
This tier are the teams that are threats and contenders if everything goes well with no bad luck for the rest of the season.
11. LA Clippers: The Clippers are the face of this tier because they need all their star players to remain healthy, engaged and for no serious injuries or meltdown to occur for the Clippers to finally cash in on this era of the team but Harden, Leonard, George, and Westbrook certainly can do it, but they also can nosedive this season too with injuries or something else.
10. LA Lakers: The big brother in Los Angeles is next where the Lakers may not be as fragile of a situation like the Clippers, but they certainly need to make a move to firm things up. Even if it may include trading away their only young asset in Austin Reaves away the Lakers may have no choice but to do it, but who would come back?
Demar DeRozan, Zach, LaVine, Dejounte Murray, or Kyrie Irving finally blows it up in Dallas so he can get to LA or does Golden State send Draymond Green packing? A lot to be done with little to send out but to make the most of this LeBron season the lakers may have to further mortgage their future in order to do something right now.
9. Orlando Magic: The magic continues to be a surprise in the east where they may be ahead of schedule this season but can be in the playoff picture if this keeps up. The glaring issue on this team is shooting/shot creating in the backcourt that hopefully they can address before playoffs in order to help out the Banchero & Wagner duo because their size isn’t the issue, but lack of shooting may cost them.
8. Dallas Mavericks: Certainly, the Mavericks on paper were major players coming into this season, but the Kyrie effect scared me away but with him out due to injury has shown this team is pretty good without him that may encourage them to move off of Irving and get more pieces around super nova Luka Doncic who is having another career season.
The Old Reliable (7 & 6)
7. Miami Heat: The number 7 & 6 teams in my rankings are the veteran teams that never go away, stay the course with the next man up, and are always steady. So, we start with the Heat who just don’t miss a beat no matter who is out for how long it may be, they also continue to find steals for players like rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr who has stepped greatly in Butler’s absence along with Adebayo playing like a sure fire DPOY has kept Miami in picture all season.
6. Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks are still in contention despite the step back on defense, Middleton seems to be coming into form, but I don’t trust it. However, when you have peak operating Giannis, you will always be a threat even when he is learning to play with Damian Lillard on the fly certainly keeps their title hopes high despite the lack of perimeter depth and defense that has been their weakness thus far.
Young and Dangerous (5)
5. Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder are in a tier of their own because this team is incredibly dangerous but not fully formed. SGA is playing at true MVP level, Chet Holmgren continues to run away with the rookie of the year and the other young pieces just keep improving like Isaiah Joe, Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, and Jalen Williams but they need a center to pair with Holmgren who is incredible but also is a rookie and a slight one at that.
Hopefully with all of those draft picks they have can be enough to make a trade for Jarrett Allen, Clint Capela or some center with size that will fill out and complete this incredibly talented team where they can be true contenders to win the west for the near future.
The Spoilers (4 & 3)
This tier are the two teams that are the top contenders to challenge the current title favorites.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves: Still surprised at how well this is going with the wolves but it’s a real thing. Anthony Edwards continues to ascend as top tier star night after night while the Gobert and Towns pairing is working defensively has this team clicking in a dangerous way that currently has them a top of western conference, but a little restraint is needed here with their expectations but a great season so far.
3. Philadelphia 76ers: The 76ers are absolutely rolling where Joel Embiid looks like he’s going for back-to-back MVP seasons, Tyrese Maxey is having a breakout season, and coach Nick Nurse which is no surprise to me has worked his magic on this team’s offense and it shows with their play. If this all continues then the sixers can beat the heat and bucks but also threaten the Celtics for the best in the east.
The Favorites (1 & 2)
2. Denver Nuggets: They may not be the number one team in the western conference, but they are the defending champions who are still strong. Nikola Jokic continues to be an undisputed offensive force in basketball and guys continue to step up, the Nuggets should still be favorites to make it back to the finals and be champions.
- Boston Celtics: The Celtics are number one again and it’s because they are on a different level right now. Even with Kristaps Porzingis being out Boston kept steamrolling and their performance on Christmas day against the lakers made it clear that if Porzingis stays healthy this Celtics team are going to be hard to beat and will likely win the championship at this rate.
